Client Management Suite

Hi all,

During the NS.Nightly scheduled task software components are automatically assigned to predefined software products.

Also since 7.1 SP2 key program files for application metering are associated automatically to software components at this schedule.

This is a nice feature, but is there a way to remove some of the executables which are associated automatically?

If you remove them through the Enhanced Console View, they will re-appear the day after because of the NS.Nightly task running and re-associating them.

For some applications such as MS Office 2003 and Visio 2003, it associates the same program files, which delivers funny metering results.

Even if you only enable metering on Visio 2003, there seem te be metering data appearing in the Office 2003 software product, even if metering is turned of for that software product.

Does anyone know if you can change this automatic assignment for specific software components?

Thanks,

Dawi_x

There is no way to stop the automatic assignment from happening without modifying some SQL code to exclude certain products.

That said, we would like to better understand what exactly isn't working in your environment.  Could you please send me an email or private message with your contact information?  Or, optionally, you could contact Technical Support and work through that chain.

Here are a few details about metering key program files.

Metering predefined key program files

If a software component has a predefined key program file (because the software component is associated to the predefined software product), the key program file is automatically listed in ECV, in the "Software Product" dialog box, on the "Meter/track usage" tab, and can be automatically metered together with the metered software component.

If you delete the predefined key program file in the "Software Product" dialog box, at "Meter/track usage" > "Add Program", the NS.Nightly task will re-associate the file with the software component.

As Andrew has already said, currently there is no option to remove predefined key program files from metering together with the relevant metered and predefined software product.

Metering other key program files

On the "Meter/track usage" tab, you can add some other key program file to a software component (the software component can be associated to the predefined software product or any other product). And if you wish, the program file will be automatically metered together with the metered software component.

However if you delete the key program file that you have added, the NS.Nightly task will not re-associate the file with the software component.

For example, in the Adobe Reader 9 product (predefined and metered), the predefined key program file is AcroRd32.exe, and another key program file, added by you, is AcroRd32Info.exe. If you remove both key program files on "Meter/track usage" tab, and then run the NS.Nightly task, only AcroRd32.exe will be still metered with Adobe Reader 9.

You can find more information in the topic about the NS.Nightly task at the following URL: http://www.symantec.com/docs/HOWTO63581 

Hi Irina,

Thanks for the detailed clarification.

However, following your example, the executable I would like to remove is the AcroRd32.exe and it seems this is idd not possible at this time.

I have send Andrew some details about why I would like to modify this behaviour, because there are some pitfalls with automatically associated program files for some software products.

kr,

Dawi_X